Staff Member

A press release from the Pew Environental Group just hit our inbox showing an overwhelming 82% of Americans support an increased fuel efficiency standard of 56 MPG by 2025. The article refers several times to the automakers as being in favor of the 56 MPG standard... so why are they running all of those ads against the standard?
Full press release below with all of the survey results.

Obama Administration, Auto Industry in Sync with Americans’ Opinion on Fuel Economy
Pew Clean Energy Program poll finds strong support for ambitious standardsWASHINGTON (July 28, 2011)—Against a backdrop of sharp differences on a variety of current public policy issues, new polling by the Pew Clean Energy Program demonstrates strong support from American voters for immediate action on vehicle fuel economy.

In a national poll* conducted for Pew by the bipartisan polling team The Mellman Group, Inc. and Public Opinion Strategies between July 8-12, 2011, 91 percent of Americans agree that dependence on foreign oil is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” threat to U.S. security, with 61 percent indicating it is a “very serious” threat. These views cut across demographic and partisan lines, with 65 percent of Republicans, 57 percent of Democrats and 62 percent of independents identifying dependence on foreign oil as a “very serious threat” to national security.

The polling results reinforce news reports of an ambitious proposed interim fuel economy rule agreement reached by the Obama administration, the auto industry and other stakeholders to improve fuel efficiency for cars and light-duty trucks in model years 2017-2025. The proposed standard is to be announced Friday, July 29, 2011.

The survey found 82 percent of respondents support an increased fuel efficiency standard of 56 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2025, with 68 percent who “favor strongly.” Overwhelming majorities in every demographic subgroup support increased fuel efficiency to 56 mpg, including 70 percent of Republicans, 87 percent of Democrats and 88 percent of independents.

Voters across all regions also backed increasing fuel economy to 56 mpg, with 80 percent in the Northeast, 85 percent in the Midwest, 77 percent in the South and 86 percent in the West. Further, 92 percent of Americans believe it is either “very important” (69 percent) or “somewhat important” (23 percent) for the United States to take action now to increase fuel efficiency.

"Just as they did in 2009, the administration, the auto industry and other stakeholders have come together and agreed to a higher mpg standard—this time 54.5 mpg—that will both serve the interest of the public and provide market certainty for industry,” Cuttino said. “We look forward to seeing the details of the proposed rule. As it is finalized over the coming months, the administration must ensure that it is not further watered down."

*This analysis represents the findings of a national survey of 1,000 likely 2012 general election voters. Interviews were conducted by telephone July 8-12, 2011, using a national registration-based sample. Respondents were screened for being likely voters. The margin of error for this survey is +/-3.1 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. The margin of error is higher for subgroups.

The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernmental organization that works globally to establish pragmatic, science-based policies that protect our oceans, preserve our wildlands and promote clean energy.www.PewEnvironment.org/CleanEnergy.​

I'm all for raising fuel economy. My beef has always been that I don't like the idea of the government forcing it. i think these numbers though are inflated due to the price of gas. if gas were $2 a gallon, i think you'd have a lot less than 82% supporting it. I hope the auto industry can make it happen for the cars that we want.

It didn't appear that the poll included the phrase "and be willing to pay an extra three to four thousand dollars". I suspect the number would be much lower. Perhaps in that time frame it advancement will be made such that squeezing that efficiency won't cost much more but I doubt it.

It didn't appear that the poll included the phrase "and be willing to pay an extra three to four thousand dollars". I suspect the number would be much lower. Perhaps in that time frame it advancement will be made such that squeezing that efficiency won't cost much more but I doubt it.

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Cars today are loaded with mandatory stuff that boosts the base price. If every car available had an extra $2K hybrid drive, it would become the norm. Electric starters and power windshield sprayers, window defrosters, and on and on, used to cost extra $$$ and now they're mandatory built into the base price of all cars. You used to have to pay extra $$$$ for an automatic transmission. Today in 2011, practically every car on the road has an auto trans.

So if today 78% of all vehicles were Prii, we would would already pass this, and it wouldn't matter what the other vehicles were. At the same time, the average car buyer could save $6280 on the purchase price.

[Yes, I know the math is not getting us least amount of fuel usage, don't blame me]

I'm all for raising fuel economy. My beef has always been that I don't like the idea of the government forcing it. i think these numbers though are inflated due to the price of gas. if gas were $2 a gallon, i think you'd have a lot less than 82% supporting it. I hope the auto industry can make it happen for the cars that we want.

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Yeah well the free market idea isn't cutting it because people don't understand why they should drive a fuel efficient vehicle. It's the all about me and my rights mentality.

When you look at responsible polls, it seems the American people are not on the same wavelength with what gets hyped in the media news every day, and what is going on in Washington.

If the politicians don't raise the debt ceiling in the next day or 2, and the stock market crashes, etc. there will be hell to pay. The great Silent Majority out there quietly stomaching the so-called Tea party and all that Koch-sponsored media hype against government, taxes and global warming, will suddenly throw it all up in the faces of the politicians. The Majority are the ones who will be hurt.

When you look at responsible polls, it seems the American people are not on the same wavelength with what gets hyped in the media news every day, and what is going on in Washington.

If the politicians don't raise the debt ceiling in the next day or 2, and the stock market crashes, etc. there will be hell to pay. The great Silent Majority out there quietly stomaching the so-called Tea party and all that Koch-sponsored media hype against government, taxes and global warming, will suddenly throw it all up in the faces of the politicians. The Majority are the ones who will be hurt.

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And the majority will continue to vote for candidates based on image instead of thoroughly researching their histories and considering their stance on the issues. The majority spends more time watching american idol and playing video games than taking a few hours to google and read and read and read about the political candidates before they vote ... and then they wonder why the country is headed in the direction it is.

Staff Member

Many cars are capable of better mileages than they get. Many drivers around my area drive like it's a race to the next stoplight. On the gas until the very last moment, then hard on the brakes. Simply adjusting driving style would save a lot even w/ existing cars.

That said, historically, when the gov't did enforce stricter fuel economy standards, we ended up with boring cars. Do we really think automakers are more inventive this time around? Prius may be an example...

Many cars are capable of better mileages than they get. Many drivers around my area drive like it's a race to the next stoplight. On the gas until the very last moment, then hard on the brakes. Simply adjusting driving style would save a lot even w/ existing cars.

That said, historically, when the gov't did enforce stricter fuel economy standards, we ended up with boring cars. Do we really think automakers are more inventive this time around? Prius may be an example...

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Consider Ford and Hyundai's recent strategies: take a small fuel efficient car, give it really appealing styling, load it up with electronics and options, and consumers will buy it. And, it's working. The car doesn't have to have a muscle car V8. In fact, I think a lot of younger buyers (the people buying Fiestas, Elantras, Civics, Yaris...) want mpg and efficiency more than a desire for a muscle car V8. When was the last time you saw a brand new Mustang V8 on the road? When was the last time you saw a brand new Fiesta on the road?

i think these numbers though are inflated due to the price of gas. if gas were $2 a gallon, i think you'd have a lot less than 82% supporting it.

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And if gas were priced as it would be in a completely free market, around $15 per gallon, people would be complaining that government was completely outside of reality with those ridiculously low numbers.

Yeah well the free market idea isn't cutting it because people don't understand why they should drive a fuel efficient vehicle. It's the all about me and my rights mentality.

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i will agree that people don't understand why they should drive a fuel effcient vehicle. But my point is that it's not the government's job to force it on people. Education is the answer. I run into people all the time that have no idea how a hybrid works. A lot of people driving Prii today had to take a leap of faith to buy it. I think what auto companies need to do is to sell it as a hybrid in the marketing and show people how it works. Most ads I see explain nothing. They go like this: "or get the Ford Fusion Hybrid with 42 mpg for $299/month!" Yeah, that really explains a lot.

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